13
She didna comb her yellow hair
Nor make meikle o her head,
And ilka thing that lady took
Was like to be her deid.
14
It's four and twenty ladies fair
Were playing at the ba;
Janet, the wightest of them anes,
Was faintest o them a'.
15
Four and twenty ladies fair
Were playing at the chess;
And out there came the fair Janet,
As green as any grass.
16
Out and spak an auld grey-headed knight,
Lay oer the castle wa:
'And ever, alas! for thee, Janet,
But we'll be blamed a'!'
17
'Now haud your tongue, ye auld grey knight,
And an ill deid may ye die!
Father my bairn on whom I will,
I'll father nane on thee.'
18
Out then spak her father dear,
And he spak meik and mild:
'And ever, alas! my sweet Janet,
I fear ye gae with child.'
19
'And if I be with child, father,
Mysell maun bear the blame;
There's neer a knight about your ha
Shall hae the bairnie's name.
20
'And if I be with child, father,
'T will prove a wondrous birth,
For weel I swear I'm not wi bairn
To any man on earth.
21
'If my love were an earthly knight,
As he's an elfin grey,
I wadna gie my ain true love
For nae lord that ye hae.'
22
She prinkd hersell and prinnd hersell,
By the ae light of the moon,
And she's away to Carterhaugh,
To speak wi young Tamlane.